If there is one app you should download before your trip to Disney World, it’s the My Disney Experience app.
The My Disney Experience app has almost everything you could possibly need to get through a trip to Disney World. This app is like magic. You can make dining reservations, view attraction wait times, purchase and view your park photos, purchase and use Genie+, and even compliment a Cast Member. This app can really help make your trip to Disney World easier and less stressful.
Since rolling out in 2013, the app has seen some major upgrades and changes. Here we are 11 years later, and improvements are still being made. We love that Disney keeps coming up with new features for the app, making it easier and easier to navigate. Recently, the My Disney Experience app has seen eight changes, and we are fans of them! Let’s take a look!
MyDisney Login
Besides the My Disney Experience app, Disney has so many other apps and websites and it can get confusing remembering all your passwords. In order to combat this, Disney created MyDisney.
Think of this as one portal with one username and one password for all of your Disney accounts. This portal makes it so much easier to just remember one login! Not only is logging in easier but so is logging out, managing marketing preferences, and any other settings, as these can be changed for all Disney sites with just this one portal!
Condensed Menu Options
As we said, the My Disney Experience app can do A LOT! This also means that all the options it has can be overwhelming. The menu section of the app used to have a lot of little boxes that separated the different features of the app, but it honestly looked a little bulky.
Now, the app has condensed the menu options to just a few boxes, and the rest of the options are listed below. We like this change because it is so much easier to find what you are looking for and takes up less space.
Dining Reservation Changes
The My Disney Experience app Dining Reservation page has seen two huge improvements! We would not say that making advance dining reservations before was super difficult. There were just a few minor frustrations that have now been taken away with these app updates!
Now, when booking advance dining reservations, you can choose a range of dates! Before, you could only search for one day at a time and would have to go back and adjust your search. Now, with this update, you can see what is available multiple days out, making it much easier to plan when you want to dine at a certain restaurant.
Not only can you search for multiple days, but you can also pick what reservations you want to be shown. It is divided into three categories. The first is morning/ breakfast time which is any reservation before noon. The second is afternoon/ lunch, which is any reservation between noon and 4 PM. The third is evening/dinner which is any reservation after 4 PM. You can also search for all day reservations as well! This change makes it so much easier to find the time you wish to dine, as before, the app would show you every time available.
Mobile Order Photo Gallery
Want to know what a restaurant looks like as well as some of the menu items before you decide to eat there? Well, Disney just made this so much easier.
Before, if you wanted to see what a menu item looked like, you would need to start a Mobile Order to see a picture of the dish. You did not have to complete the Mobile Order, but would have to act like you were starting one to view it.
While you can still do this, Disney just added a new feature making it easier to see some restaurant photos, and it reminds us of social media “stories” like on Instagram and Snapchat. When you are looking at Mobile Order you will see a picture in a circle. Around the circle, there will be a blue outline, just like how you would see on social media with a story you did not view. Simply click on the picture, and viola! You can now go through the Mobile Order Photo Gallery!
View Waitlist Times on the Map
One of the great perks of using the My Disney Experience app is that you can view attraction wait times without having to walk over to the attraction. Simply use the map feature and you are able to view the wait times across all four parks! You can also use this feature to find restrooms, photo spots, and restaurants!
Some restaurants use a Mobile Wait List or have a regular Walk-Up Wait List. Before, if you wanted to view how long a restaurant’s wait was, you would have to click on the restaurant. Now, wait list times are viewed in the app, just like ride wait times!
While not all restaurants offer a waitlist, and you will still need an advance dining reservation for most table service restaurants, this feature makes it so much easier to view waitlist times!
Water Refill Stations
It can get hot in Disney World, and bottled water is expensive all over the property. For free water, you could always go to quick-service restaurants, and they will give you a free cup of ice water. But if you would rather bring your own bottle with you, we have some good news!
Around the park, you can find water bottle refill stations, the problem was that you either just stumbled upon them or would have to ask where the closest one was. Well, now, on the map, you can view where all the water bottle refill stations are! This makes it much easier and can encourage people to bring their own bottles to stay hydrated and save some money!
Filter for Genie+ Rides Only
Did you pay to use Genie+ for the day? Well, on the tip board, it would show you every ride and attraction that was available, even if the attraction does not use a Lightning Lane. This can be confusing and annoying because you obviously want to make the most out of Genie+. Check out this new feature!
Now there is a toggle feature where you can filter for rides to be shown that only have Lightning Lanes. Simply turn the toggle on, and there you go! Only rides that support Genie+ and have Lightning Lanes will be shown!
We love that Disney is constantly improving this vital tool and making Disney World vacations even easier! Keep following DFB for more Disney World news!
Sneaky Things You Can Do on The My Disney Experience App That Will Make You Look Like a Pro!
Planning a Trip to Disney World? We’ve Got Everything You Need to Know
Tips, Hints, Lists, and Videos for Planning the BEST Disney World Trip
Cheryl McVay says
I’m confused on the steps to locate ice water. It says to locate on map but can’t find where to display the map. Is it on My Disney Experience or on the Magic Guide app.
BTW Love the way to find the length of time for dining waitlist.
DFB Gigi says
Hi Cheryl! In the My Disney Experience app you will go to the home screen, then click on the magnifying glass search feature and type in “water” which will bring up a list of options and you can select “Water Bottle Refill Stations” from there. The dining wait times are listed on the map in the app as well. You’ll see icons for mobile order, but then you’ll also see wait times for restaurants that are table service and do not have mobile order.